


I'll Risk it for You

by onetruethree



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: 5+1 Things, Canon Compliant, F/M, Flustered Luka Couffaine, Getting Together, Lukanette Exchange 2020, Pre-Relationship, Secret Identity, Sharing a Bed, pre-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:15:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26577424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onetruethree/pseuds/onetruethree
Summary: 5 times Ladybug sleeps in Luka's room, and 1 time he sleeps in hers.Or, Ladybug takes a few risks for her own sake, and they just happen to involve sneaking into Luka's room to get a good night's sleep.
Relationships: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 10
Kudos: 88





	I'll Risk it for You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MalcolmReynolds](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MalcolmReynolds/gifts).



> For Lukanette Exchange 2020! This was a lot of fun, thanks for the prompts, and I hope you like it!

1.

The first time Ladybug showed up outside Luka’s window, he was startled. She had met him as Luka a few times, but they mainly only interacted when he was Viperion, so seeing her in that setting was jarring to him. It was also unusual to see her so vulnerable. She was the Ladybug after all, and he was merely her sidekick, and a justifiably unutilized one at that.

When he saw her, he immediately knew something was wrong. She smiled it off, but he knew she wouldn’t show up at his house like this if it weren’t serious. It was flattering that she felt safe enough around him to come to him for such problems, of course, but he was sure he wasn’t the best help she could get.

“Ladybug, is everything alright?” He asked as he helped her lower herself down from the window.

“I’m fine, Luka.” She crawled into his room, trying her best to be careful as not to wake up his family. “Just a little restless.” She wouldn’t be here at midnight if she was asleep, after all.

“Alright, well, you’re welcome to stay,” he suggested, wanting to help in any way possible.

Ladybug looked at him with soft eyes, and her stance changed ever so slightly, better hiding her weakness. “I’m okay, I promise.” She was about to leave when something in her seemed to fall apart, and Luka could see the visible reaction. “Actually, I’ll stay for a few more minutes.” She sat on the floor of his room, right next to his bed, and melted into the wall. It didn't look comfortable, but it was good for her to get any kind of rest, no matter how comfortable.

He left her there, not wanting to talk her out of it, or even try to make small talk, a little worried she would get spooked and run. He just couldn’t help but look at her and watch the way her breathing slowed and her eyes started to close. Once she had fallen asleep, which actually didn't take as much time as he expected, he brought her a blanket and covered her in it, knowing it could get cold at that time of year. It was nice to have someone else in the room with him, and he realized he hadn’t been sleeping that well lately, either. That night, he drifted off in a matter of minutes.

When he woke up, she was gone, and she didn't approach him to help as Viperion for over a week. Luka understood why, and he was almost too embarrassed by the incident to want to see her, anyway. But that didn't mean he wasn’t worried.

2.

The next time she showed up, she didn't explain anything, but snuck in hoping not to wake him up. Unfortunately for her sake, he was up playing guitar. His sleep schedule usually came second to his art, so he couldn’t stop playing until he finished figuring out that melody.

His art came second to her.

“Ladybug, good to see you again,” he said, trying to make a joke out of it. He didn't want it to seem like he blamed her for not talking to him in a while. He simply wanted her to know she was always welcome to stay. This time, he didn't ask how she was doing, or if anything was wrong; he already knew the truth. He just let her take her spot on the floor and took a seat next to her, guitar in hand. “So, wanna hear what I’ve been working on?”

She smiled, and her eyes gave away her tiredness, but that smile was genuine. “I’m sure it’s beautiful,” and although she was going to turn him down, he first clarified a fact about the song.

“It’s about a girl I know named Marinette. I believe you two know each other?”

She almost laughed, her exhaustion getting the best of her. “Okay. I’ll listen.”

He played a few minutes of it, and he was getting tired himself from leaning on her warm shoulder. He started to play quieter when he could tell she was asleep, his fingers barely dancing along the strings. A couple of minutes after he knew she was asleep, he set down the guitar and let her rest on the same place on the floor, going to his own spot on the bed. He didn't know what she was comfortable with and didn't want to take advantage of her exhaustion. He still thought it looked rather uncomfortable on the floor, though.

When he woke up, she was gone again, and although he knew why, he couldn’t help but miss her. He was already looking forward to the next time she came to visit him.

3.

She didn't come around again for a while. It was maybe a month before he saw her at all, and she didn't even approach him to help her fight akumas. He was starting to worry. Then, right before it had been so long that he was planning to seek her out, she came to his window. It was barely eight in the evening this time, though, and surely she would be heard by his family if she made even the slightest noise. He held a finger to his lips to tell her to not make a sound. When she started to say something along the lines of “Sorry it’s been a while,” he put a finger to her lips so she wouldn’t be heard, but pulled his finger away quickly, embarrassed he had touched her lips.

They waited and listened to Juleka and their mom talk in the other room for a few minutes before they quieted down, probably to get ready to sleep, or at least go to their own rooms. He instead used hand motions to try and talk to her, and she laughed as quietly as she could, having no idea what he was trying to say, until he got a pen and paper to make the job easier.

First, he wrote, “I haven’t seen you in a while. I hope you’re doing okay,” and smiled when he passed the paper and pen to her, letting her know he wasn’t mad about it. She was always busy and had a lot of responsibility, so he understood.

Then, she wrote, “I missed you,” and his breath caught in his throat until she winked teasingly at him. She added, “Just kidding. But I knew you missed me, so I came by for your sake,” and stuck out her tongue.

Taking back the paper, Luka added to the bottom of the page, “Thank you. I was rather lonely without you,” with full sincerity, and he watched as she read it and her face flushed.

Even after a while when Luka was sure they wouldn’t be heard, he didn't say anything. They both sat on his bed, and he was tempted to let her stay there. She would probably get better rest there than on the floor. But, after a while, she sank down to her usual spot, and although he protested, she insisted. He wasn’t going to force her to sleep on his bed, so he didn't push it. He just wished there was some way to make her more comfortable, or at least help her get some sleep at her own place.

He did pass one last note to her, though, which read, “If you ever feel lonely, don’t be scared to stay here. I’m willing to take the risk for you.” He knew she would be gone in the morning and that this would be the last he said to her until a later day.

She nodded and closed her eyes, but Luka had a little bit more trouble sleeping knowing he might not see her again for weeks.

4.

He saw her the next day. She looked well rested for the first time in a while. Although the previous day she was gone when he woke up, he was sure she had slept for longer than she usually did. She snuck in through the window again today, but this time it was late enough for his family to be asleep, so it was more possible for them to talk.

“Ladybug, strange seeing you here.” He smirked and held her hand as she lowered herself into the room. “Long time no see.”

She rolled her eyes. “Look, I have to come clean.” She sounded serious. “I can’t sleep unless I’m here.”

Luka can usually keep his cool. He prides himself on the fact that he can stay calm in any situation, and he uses his music to channel that. The one exception, though, is when he’s around Ladybug (or Marinette). Hearing that she felt safe enough around him to be able to sleep there over anywhere else made his heart melt. It was bittersweet, because he also knew there was some reason she wasn’t able to get sleep, and none of the possibilities were good. “Ladybug, you’re welcome here whenever. I just wish it were more comfortable for you. And while you’re Ladybug, I’m sure it’s not good to stay in uniform the entire night.” He was suspecting that’s why she left every night. If there was an alternative, he would like to hear it.

She shrugged. “That’s true, but no matter what, staying here is better than trying to sleep at home.” She hated to admit it, but for some reason, she didn't feel as safe even in her own home. “But you’re right, I’m still only getting a few hours of sleep. And if I keep having to sneak in and out of my house, my parents are going to notice.”

He didn't mention that she had let the personal fact about her parents slip, even though it could compromise her identity. He did put his hand on her shoulder, trying to tell her that he was fine with it without actually saying the words. “If I knew who you really were, it would probably be easier,” he said, not really realizing what he was suggesting.

Ladybug stepped away from his touch, now more aware of how close he was. “I wish you could know, too, but--”

“It’s for the best, yeah I know.” He wasn’t actually trying to suggest he learn her identity, he was just saying his wishes out loud. He understood completely that it was important for her to keep that a secret. It was just hard to be in love with someone who you don’t recognize underneath the mask. “How about you sleep on the bed tonight?” He asked, thinking it was a good solution, if only temporary. She did need to catch up on sleep.

She looked between him and the bed and walked towards it, realizing just how inviting it looked. It would probably be the best night of sleep she had gotten in a while.

Before she could turn it down, Luka clarified, “I’ll sleep on the floor, of course,” and grabbed his pillow.

She crawled into his bed, feeling a little bad for forcing him to take her spot on the floor, but knowing he wouldn’t change his mind. He wanted her to finally have a good night’s rest, and she wanted that for herself, too. So, she tried her best to ignore the sinking feeling of responsibility that always stuck in her mind when she was Ladybug. It took a few minutes, and just when she was drifting off, Luka said something, almost too quiet for her to hear.

“Ladybug?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re safe here. You don’t have to worry. I--” He caught himself before he could say something drastic, “We will help you save Paris. It isn’t only on you.”

She was surprised he had guessed exactly what was on her mind, but his words rang hollow in her mind, as if she didn't want to accept his words as true. Her night was restless like usual, but she woke up much later than she had planned on, and quickly jumped out of bed, quiet enough not to wake him--she had de-transformed in the middle of the night because Tikki wasn’t able to keep the Ladybug form for that long, so if he woke up, it wouldn’t be good. Luckily, she was able to sneak out of the window without trouble.

5.

It was a few weeks before she came by again, but it didn't bother Luka as much this time. He just hoped she was getting better sleep at home, and maybe she wouldn’t need his help anymore. That didn't seem to be the case, though. He heard the familiar tapping on his window and immediately went over to it and opened it for her.

“Ladybug, you’re back!” He tried to sound excited, but he was mainly disappointed that she still needed his help. He almost felt guilty that he couldn’t help her more long-term, but he was still willing. He would always be.

“I am.” She sounded similarly disappointed.

“Make yourself at home.” He set up his makeshift bed on the floor and waited for her breathing to slow down so he knew she fell asleep soundly. Unfortunately, before she could fall asleep, Luka heard her say, “Tikki, spots off!” And then he heard a small voice bickering with whoever Ladybug was behind the mask.

“Ladybug?” He asked cautiously, a little worried he would accidentally see her real identity, and averted his eyes, not wanting to see who Ladybug was behind the mask.

She froze in place, and he didn't hear her kwami make a sound either. “Oh, sorry Luka. I thought you had fallen asleep. It’s like you said, I don’t think my kwami will appreciate keeping up my Ladybug form all night. I was planning on turning back when I woke up, but it should be fine as long as you don’t look over here.” Her voice sounded the same as Ladybug’s, so that wasn’t giving anything away, either.

It might be a problem if he had to get up to get a glass of water in the middle of the night, but he wanted her to feel safe. Plus, he was more flustered about the fact that Ladybug was sleeping in his bed than the fact that she didn't have her mask on. “Ok, I won’t.” He was about to fall asleep when he said, “Goodnight,” and only heard soft, slow, spaced out breaths in return.

The night wasn’t over yet, though. After about an hour, he woke up from some sort of commotion above him on the bed. At first, he thought it was just his imagination, or maybe Ladybug was tossing and turning, but then he heard that same small voice from before bickering with Ladybug: her kwami.

“Ladybug?” Luka asked from his spot on the floor.

She sighed. “My kwami left. She’s mad at me for doing this so often.” She was going to leave it at that, but then she thought it would be a good opportunity to talk this out with someone. “I think she expects too much of me. I’m still just a kid, after all.”

He hummed positively in response. “I can’t imagine what you’re going through. Just being Viperion is hard enough.” He was falling asleep between sentences. “I admire you, though.” He closed his eyes for a few moments, his mind not sure if he was awake or asleep. “You’re amazing.”

She was silent in response, and she could tell he was asleep after only about a minute. She didn't want to wake him up again, but she couldn’t go back to sleep. “Luka?”

She heard him shift, seemingly still awake.

“I can’t sleep.” She didn't know what he could do about it, but voicing her problem helped a little. Maybe she should’ve taken the spot on the floor so she could leave without waking him up again. She didn't need to sleep after all. But she didn't want to accidentally fall asleep at a time when Paris needed her, and she felt like that was possible if she didn't get proper rest now. “Luka?” She asked again, thinking that he hadn’t heard her the first time.

Then, she heard him shuffle around, but it was too dark to tell what he was doing. “Luka?” She asked again, half-convinced he had been akumatized or something.

“Do you think it’ll help if I sleep up there with you?” Despite trying to keep his cool, he was glad it was too dark to see the blush on his face.

And although she was flustered by it, too, she knew it would help. “Yeah.” Then, she thought it through a little. “Wait, but you can’t see me, or else--”

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to look.”

She was hesitant to let him. It was a bad idea if she was trying to be cautious, and if Tikki wasn’t already mad, she would be now. But for her own wellbeing, she knew it would help. If she didn't get some sleep soon, she was going to fall asleep during school and while saving Paris.

“Okay. If you change your mind, I’ll go back to the floor.” He set his pillow next to her on the bed and laid on top of the covers.

Once they had gotten comfortable, she told him, “Thanks,” and then she realized they were laying face-to-face. She quickly turned around so she was facing the wall and, trying to cut the tension, said, “Goodnight,” and tried her best to sleep. The warmth of his body was relaxing, and she liked feeling his breath on the back of her neck.

When Luka woke up, she was gone. Again, it wasn’t a surprise, but a part of him had hoped he would wake up with her this time. Instead, the bed just felt colder than usual.

+1.

When Ladybug found him a week later, this time he knew she was going to ask him to help her fight an akuma. She was holding the bracelet, but was hesitant to give it to him yet. That bracelet held so much power, and some days, she wished she could go back in time and change everything so that her life was normal. But if she was normal, all of this with Luka would never have happened, so the fantasy always remained short-lived.

“You okay?” He asked. She looked fine, but he knew she was fully capable of hiding her pain, even from him.

She held the bracelet out to him. “I’m good. Thanks for last night.” She winked, and he took the bracelet.

“My pleasure,” he responded, but he didn't really know what she was trying to say. He transformed, and Ladybug led him to meet up with Chat, who was in the middle of chasing the enemy just as they approached.

“This akuma must be pretty powerful if you had to ask me to help,” Luka pointed out as they followed Chat in pursuit of the akuma.

Ladybug shrugged. “Actually, no. I think Chat would be able to handle this one on his own. I just wanted an excuse to see you.”

Luka’s heart pounded in his chest, partly from the burning in his lungs because they had been running from rooftop to rooftop, and partly because Ladybug was making him flustered.

“You okay, Viperion?” Chat asked, oblivious as to why Luka’s face would be so red behind his mask.

Ladybug answered for him. “I think you have some competition for my heart, kitty.”

Chat looked at Ladybug, then shifted his gaze to Viperion. He shrugged and left, content with the job they had done beating the akuma, and apparently not threatened by Luka’s supposed competition.

Ladybug took hold of Luka’s-- not Viperion’s, since she had taken back the bracelet-- hand. “Wanna go somewhere?”

He frowned. “But aren’t you almost out of time?” He pointed to her earring, which was flashing, indicating she would have to transform back soon.

She sighed, contemplating what to say. “It won’t take too long. But just in case, you should close your eyes. It’s a surprise.”

He didn't turn around, instead closing his eyes in compliance with her command. He frowned. “How do I know where I’m going then?”

She took hold of his hand. “I’ll help.” She dragged him along behind her, and he went along with it, eyes closed all the way. He was proving how much he trusted her to do something like this, but he didn't care that if someone saw them like this, even though it was potentially dangerous. Luka had no excuse for being friends with Ladybug other than the fact that he was Viperion, but he knew Ladybug wouldn’t let anything bad happen to either of them.

So, once they stopped, Ladybug told Luka to open his eyes. He hesitated, knowing full well it had been long past the time for her to detransform. He opened his eyes as quickly as he could, his head racing with thoughts about who she could be.

“Marinette?” He asked, confused. “Is it really you?” He didn't believe his eyes at first, but once the information sank in, it all started to make sense. Of course Ladybug was Marinette, all the evidence led to that conclusion. He was just too blind to see it before. Then, he realized it had been Marinette who was sleeping in his room for the past few weeks.

“Well, I think after what happened last night, you probably would’ve figured it out eventually. Or at least that’s what Tikki told me. I’m fairly sure this isn’t what she wanted me to do, but I’m willing to take the risk for you. Plus, I have something else to tell you that wouldn’t feel right if you didn't know the truth.”

He gulped, almost sure he knew what she would say next.

“I have feelings for you, Luka.” She got closer to him, close enough to place a hand on his shoulder. “You make me feel safe, and as much as I wanted to keep my identity a secret, I couldn’t keep something like that from you.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek, and he was frozen in place, his face burning up.

“M-Marinette--” He tried to say, but this time he was the one to stutter his words.

“I know it’s probably a shock that I’m Ladybug, but I’ve always had feelings for you. As Marinette and as Ladybug.”

Luka finally got a hold of himself enough to say, “I always suspected,” but didn't declare which secret he was referring to. She shifted her arms around him so she was hugging him, and although his breath caught in his throat, he added, “Thanks for trusting me, Marinette.”

“Well, you let me sleep in your bed. That takes just as much trust.” That set off a thought in her mind, and she thought for a moment. “Maybe I should return the favor.” She grabbed his hand and they ran into town under the blanket of darkness. Her parents weren’t too overprotective, so she was sure that she should be able to sneak someone into her room, just like she had snuck out so many times. Tikki, on the other hand, wasn’t too happy about the idea.

“You know, Marinette, I wasn’t happy about this big reveal, but I especially don’t think sneaking around with some boy is going to help the problem.” Tikki scolded Marinette as she led Luka to the bakery.

Marinette was done with following rules, though. This wasn’t going to make her responsibility as the Guardian any less effective. “Tikki, can you let me be a teenager for one night? I’ll be a superhero every other night, I promise.” She had a feeling that that would be a promise she couldn’t keep, but it seemed to make Tikki go quiet.

“I need to talk with Plagg.” She announced in a huff, clearly upset, and flew away. Marinette knew she must be pretty upset if Plagg was preferable over them, and she knew Tikki had her best interests at heart. The job was just too demanding sometimes, especially for a high schooler. She hoped once she got enough sleep, she could go back to obeying Tikki’s rules.

They made it to Marinette’s place rather quickly, and Luka’s heart was pounding, both from the run and because Marinette’s hand was holding on to his so tightly. She whispered, “Here, I’ll lead the way,” as she showed Luka how she snuck back into her own room whenever she went to sleep at his place, as well as whenever she had just finished fighting an akuma. It was a little harder when she didn't have Tikki, but they managed to climb into her room without much trouble. Luka had visited Marinette’s house before, but this time was different. Their hands were still clasped together, and Luka quickly pulled his hand away when he was made aware of that fact.

“Marinette, are you sure you’re fine with me being here? I don’t want to invade your privacy--”

Before Luka could finish his question, Marinette placed a finger on his lips. “Quiet. You’ll wake my parents.” That was probably not the case, but she wanted an excuse to put her finger on his lips. It lingered there for a second, and Luka’s eyes crossed to focus on her hand. She pulled it away, though, and Luka almost missed it being there.

“So, should I sleep on the floor, then?” He didn't bring a change of clothes, and wished he had been more prepared. For a split second, he let himself wonder if they would ever have a sleepover like this again. He hoped so.

“You don’t have to, but if it’s where you’re more comfortable, you’re welcome to--”

“No!” He blurted, and instantly regretted it. “I mean, I’m fine on the bed. As long as you are, I mean.”

“Of course.” She crawled into bed, her clothes from before still on, but she was willing to make that sacrifice if it meant saving them from the embarrassment of her changing in front of him. “But it does mean you’ll have to be the one sneaking out in the morning. I can stall for a while, but there’s no way I could explain a boy sleeping in my bed without being grounded for at least a week.”

He understood completely, and was already planning his escape route. He climbed on after her, once again over the covers. He was already getting tired, but he was sure this would be the best night of sleep he had in awhile. “Goodnight, Marinette,” he said, and he let himself imagine waking up next to her. Still sleepy, he also said, “I love you,” but she was already too sound asleep to hear.


End file.
